Interesting Bits and Pieces from Today’s Apple Announcements

Earlier today Apple held its ‘Spring Forward’ keynote event to unveil their new their new MacBook, announce more Apple Watch details, reveal they are the exclusive launch partner with HBO Now, and unveil ResearchKit to help medical researchers.

We’ve covered the headline details of all those announcements, but as always there are little things that we didn’t capture, or tidbits that others have uncovered since the event. That’s what this article is dedicated to, little interesting things that you may not have noticed yourself.

The Numbers from Tim Cook

Interspersed throughout the keynote, Tim Cook dropped a bunch of numbers, statistics and milestones (some new, some previously announced) that Apple has achieved, here they are:

Apple has sold 25 million Apple TV units to date

Apple has surpassed 700 million iPhones sold

Apple Pay, which remains US-only, is now supported by 2,500 banks and is accepted at nearly 700,000 retailers

100,000 Coca-Cola vending machines will support Apple Pay by the end of the year

Every major car brand has committed to delivering CarPlay, with 40 new models shipping with it by the end of 2015

They have 21 stores in China and will have 40 stores in China by the middle of next year

In total Apple operates 453 retail stores and had 120 million customers visit their stores last quarter

The Mac grew 20% last year, whilst the PC industry slightly declined

Apple’s Adaptors for the new MacBook

The new MacBook comes with a single USB-C port (which is a new USB standard with a different port to the existing USB standard) and a headphone jack. That means you are pretty much out of luck if you want to use an existing USB cable, Thunderbolt, or HDMI cable with it out of the box. Fortunately Apple does sell a few adaptors to expand the new MacBoook’s capabilities. Unfortunately, like every Apple adaptor, they come at a rather insane price.

USB-C to USB Adapter: $19.00

A simple USB-C to USB adaptor, that allows you to connect your existing USB devices to the new MacBook (thumb drives, keyboard, iOS devices, etc)

USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter: $79.00

Includes a USB-C, HDMI and USB ports

But the HDMI port only supports up to 1080p video

USB-C VGA AV Multiport Adapter: $79.00

Includes a USB-C, VGA and USB ports

But the VGA port only supports up to 1080p video

[via Six Colors]

Apple Watch Water Resistance

The Apple Watch will be water resistant, but not waterproof. Apple’s website says that you can use the Apple Watch “during exercise, in the rain, and while washing your hands, but submerging Apple Watch is not recommended”.

They further write that the Apple Watch has a water resistance rating of IPX7, which as Daring Fireball’s John Gruber notes, is 1 meter of submersion for up to 30 minutes.

[via Daring Fireball]

Apple Watch and Watch Band Price/Availability Matrix

Louie Mantia has put together a fantastic matrix that lists every Apple Watch case and every Apple Watch Band and highlights which combinations are available to purchase, including which ones you can technically achieve with an additional purchase.

Check it out here.

Apple Invites iOS Developers to WatchKit lab

9to5Mac writes that Apple has begun sending an email to registered iOS developers, inviting them to test their WatchKit apps ahead of the device’s launch. It’ll be running from March 16 through to April 30 at Apple’s Sunnyvale campus in California.

[via 9to5Mac]

Apple Watch Mockups in Apple Store App

As noted by Steve Streza, the iOS Apple Store app allows you to view the actual size of an Apple Watch on your iPhone’s screen. You can access it by tapping ‘Compare case sizes’ on the Featured page of the app.

The Apple Store app has actual-size mock ups of the two Watch sizes, which you can hold up to your wrist. pic.twitter.com/vFAPVNOZge

— Steve Streza (@SteveStreza) March 9, 2015

The Apple Watch Retail Presence

Apple provided more detail about how the Apple Watch will be sold to customers in its keynote. Essentially, they will be put on show inside wooden tables that are similar to the ones that were used at the two Apple Watch keynotes and other public appearances.

The Apple Watch will also be available to preview or try on at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Selfridges in London on April 10. When the Apple Watch goes on sale on April 24 it will also be available in those department store ‘shop-in-shops’, and at “boutiques in major cities across the world including colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and Tokyo, Maxfield in Los Angeles and The Corner in Berlin”.

[via Apple Press Release]

Apple Watch Weight by Collection

Abdel Ibrahim had a look at how much the weight varied between Apple Watch Collection.

Apple Watch Case Weight (42mm) Sport: 30g Stainless: 50g Gold: 69g Stainless is 67% heavier than Sport Gold is 130% heavier than Sport

— Abdel Ibrahim (@abdophoto) March 10, 2015

Anything Else?

Have you seen anything else interesting that you think we should share with others? Tweet at me @greyham on Twitter or email me (graham [at] macstories.net)